About Farmstead Scattering Garden

Our farm is filled with rich stories, a sense of adventure, and a tranquil environment, making it a perfect place to celebrate and remember a well-lived life. Let us help you create a lasting and joyful tribute in harmony with nature.

"You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

- Excerpt from Desiderata, Max Ehrmann, 1927

About The Owners

John and Amy Bridger own and operate Farmstead Scattering Garden with their two teenagers. The farm has been in the Bridger family since 1963 when John’s parents operated a dairy farm until the late 1990s, when they retired. John and Amy grew up just five miles apart, have been married for nearly twenty years, and believe that raising a family on a farm is an amazing opportunity full of adventures and laughter.

About The Farm

The Bridger family has been farming for at least four generations in Erie and Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The family and extended family have owned several different dairy farms throughout the 1900s, and John’s grandfather was the first dairy operator in Erie County to adopt pasteurization. Even though the farming operation has switched to beef cattle, the family takes the legacy of farming with honor, honoring the past as well as continuing the legacy for our future generations.

An Epiphany Over A Game of Cards

Over the decades, our farm has become a gathering place for family and friends. During a 500-card game marathon, one of Amy’s close cousins commented on how many people had brought the ashes to the farm as a resting place.

During this conversation, we realized that our farm’s tranquility could offer a peaceful place for their loved ones’ ashes. Shortly after this card marathon, we created Farmstead Scattering Garden to share this serenity with those near and far.

  • Family is First

    Family can be bound by blood or choice. The older generations set the tone of respect, conduct, community engagement, and storytelling, but the younger generation brings the fun!

  • Make Your Best Better

    A variation of the 4-H motto is of substantial value. This value promotes short and long-term goals and continual improvement. If you have responsibility for a piece of property, leave it better than you got it. Train a dog or horse to be productive farm members, not a liability. Improve the genetics and disposition of your herd. Don’t settle for the status quo.

  • Respect for humans, animals, and nature.

    Respect has to balance all three, balancing human needs, animal needs, and a natural ecosystem.